I hate these mirrors: Difference between revisions

[[Category:Bodywork & Frame]]

Not being able to see behind you is a common complaint, especially from those new to the Ninjette. Some long-time riders will say that the stock mirrors are better than on other bikes. Unfortunately, due to the fact that many people don't hang onto this bike for long, there isn't a great deal of aftermarket availability. There really isn't a decent-fitting mirror that has more visibility than the stock ones.  

You can improve rearward visibility with the standard Ninja mirrors with some tweaking. Options are listed below.  

Mirror extensions/brackets can be made, but if you are good at fabricating you've probably already thought of this. There is no standard mod yet in this direction. One problem is that it is conceivable that the extra torque (from the extra length and extra wind) could tweak your upper fairing stay, so go carefully.

You can definitely widen the mirror positioning with extensions and get a better view behind you, without wasting huge amounts of mirror 'real estate' on your elbows. If you do any lane splitting though, widened positioning may be noticeable. Also, the unique nature of the body-mounted mirrors makes widening hardware less simple than tweaking standard mirrors or exploring alternatives.

If you want to stay simple, something easy to try is 'droopy' mirrors. Tilted down about 20 to 25 degrees from horizontal, the arc of travel and semi-diagonal layout make the mirror field of view a little wider, allowing you to adjust it to better see back behind you without using up all of your view to the sides.

The shape and placement of these stick-ons can somewhat follow the contour of your elbow, effectively salvaging otherwise wasted mirror view. Looking in a convex mirror may feel a little odd at first, and can take a little time to get used to, but once you are comfortable with it you should find that it widens your field of view substantially.

Here's a mod that will make your bike safer. For $2.58 at Autozone you can get two convex mirrors that are angled toward the outside. These mirrors will help you see your blind spots and cars behind you. They're also good for seeing more of the lanes next to you.

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Some of our members recommend bar-end mirrors as a way to get more visibility to the rear. [http://www.emgo.com/main_layout.html Emgo mirrors] (available at nearly any bike shop) are ridiculously cheap and are very reliable. If you prefer the curved glass type, go with the [http://www.parkeryamaha.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=24966 Ken Sean] or the even pricier [http://www.bikebandit.com/partsbandit/product~pf_id~4760659~section_dept_id~1170244~terrain_dept_id~1185730~cat_dept_id~1426257~product_dept_id~1426257~mfr_name~Napoleon~selection_Path~4.asp  Napoleon mirrors]. (Search online or see a dealer.) [http://www.classicpartsltd.com/classicmotorcyclemirrors.htm  Halcyon] also makes a pricey bar-end mirror for the cafe racer crowd. All of these mirrors fold up for easy maneuvering in tight spaces.  

There is a bit more vibration in these mirrors than with the stock rubber-mounted ones, but nothing most people can't live with. The main advantage is that you do not need to move your body or your head to glance at them, and even with flat glass they give an unobstructed view of what is behind and to the side of you. Another advantage is that you can turn your bars while you're stopped and get a better view of what's coming up from behind.  

Other mirrors fit differently. Some replace the stock bar ends, some are designed to fit around bar ends, and some use the bolt used to hold bar ends onto non-hollow bars (meaning, they don't work for aftermarket bars). Try to get a mirror that will preserve your bar-ends, as they are there to reduce handlebar vibration.

*eBay often has many dealers selling bar end mirrors. These may come without a brand name (many of them are distributed by Emgo) but the price is right.

The 'body' mounted mirrors of the Ninja are a bit forward of mirrors that would be mounted in the more traditional handlebar mount method.

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This should be a mod that you do because you don't like the looks of the stock mirrors. The visibility with R1/R6 mirrors is about the same as with stock ones. You still can't see directly behind you, but they will give your Ninja a better cool rating.